Posts in Nutrition
Tips for Staying Healthy While Eating Out (and Still Enjoy Yourself!)

Going out to eat is a great way to socialize and spend time with friends and family. It can be a bit anxiety-producing if you're working hard to clean up your diet and reach your health goals because you never know what's really in your food (was it sauteed in canola oil? was flour added to a sauce? was corn syrup in the salad dressing? etc.)! So how do you find balance and freedom while eating out without totally derailing your health and weight loss goals? Check out my newest blog post to learn how to navigate menus and eat healthfully when dining out...while still enjoying yourself!

Read More
13 Best Travel Snacks

JERF. Just Eat Real Food. That's my motto and I hope it is yours too! Travelling can make JERFing pretty challenging. I've put together a list of my top 15 snacks that are as minimally processed as packaged food gets. Before your next trip, I recommend packing your bags with some of these so you’re never caught hangry and forced to resort to airplane fare!

Read More
12 Ways to Boost your Metabolism

We all want a quick metabolism, right? When people are struggling to lose weight, they often blame their slow metabolism. The goal in speeding up your metabolism is to do things that make it easier for your body to burn energy instead of store it, and therefore lose weight instead of gain. I've put together my top 12 tips for supercharging your metabolism on the blog!

Read More
How to Lose Weight Without Counting Calories

A calorie is a calorie, right?..... WRONG. Food is much more than just calories; it is information for our cells. Every bite of food you eat sends out a specific set of instructions to the body–instructions that influence satiety, metabolic rate, brain activity, blood sugar and the way we store fat. The same number of calories from different types of food can have very different biological effects. For these reasons, for clients who want to lose weight, I rarely, if ever, mention calories. I know this might be blowing your mind right now, but it's true -- you don't have to count calories to lose weight! It’s not that calories don’t matter at all; it’s that nutrients matter more. Considering calories as the most important factor in how we choose what foods to consume is an overly simplistic view that doesn’t consider nutritional quality. Quality, balancing macronutrients properly, getting in touch with your hunger & satiety signals and paying attention to meal timing are all way bigger influencers on your weight. To learn more about how the weight loss equation of 'calories in versus calories out' is far oversimplified and what you can be doing instead, head to the blog!

Read More
3 new supplements to add to your medicine cabinet

Collagen. You've heard of it. But in case you need a refresher, collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and it’s a key constituent of all connective tissues. It provides the infrastructure of the musculoskeletal system (considered the “glue” that holds the body together!) and it’s the primary building block of skin, hair, nails, tendons, cartilage, bones and joints. Our natural collagen production declines as we age - think wrinkles, thinning hair, brittle nails, achy joints, etc. We can provide the amino acids our bodies need to maintain the health of these structures by using collagen as a protein powder supplement, adding it to smoothies, coffee, soups, oatmeal, etc. In addition to supplementing these key amino acids, we can also include vitamins and minerals need to enhance our body's own natural production of collagen. Vital Proteins (my fave brand of collagen peptides) has formulated a few supplements that do just that, namely Spirulina, Beef Liver and Beauty Boost. Read this post to learn more about the benefits of each.

Read More
Here's what you need to know about going keto

Keto. The diet everyone is talking about. The diet that is based primarily on healthy fat…including some adequate protein and very little carbs. The high-fat ketogenic diet was originally designed to treat epilepsy, however studies now show that this way of eating can be beneficial for those suffering from obesity, cancer, type-2 diabetes, as well as people looking to increase energy, lose body fat and enhance cognitive function. The goal of the keto diet plan is to shift the body’s metabolism in favor of burning fat instead of sugar for fuel. While being in ketosis has many benefits, adhering to this diet is pretty tough for most people as it requires measuring/tracking food consumption and very careful monitoring of your body’s ketone production. To learn more about what exactly ‘going keto’ means and if it might be a good fit for you, check out my post!

Read More
WHICH IS BETTER, COFFEE OR GREEN TEA?

Ever wondered why you can’t drink a cup of coffee past 11am or you’ll be staring all the ceiling all night, while your husband can have an espresso after dinner and sleep like a baby? The way your body breaks down and responds to caffeine is actually influenced by your genes! As a result of gene variants, some of us are fast caffeine metabolizers while others are slow metabolizers. Fast metabolizers can guzzle coffee all day and feel great – these lucky dogs get a whole bunch of benefits too, like increased metabolism, mental clarity, etc. Slow metabolizers are better off drinking green tea (which has about half the caffeine as coffee) or even skipping caffeine altogether, otherwise they get jittery, anxious and have disturbed sleep. To learn more about caffeine genes, fast/slow metabolizers, as well as the health benefits of coffee and green tea, check out my post!

Read More
SUGAR DETOX: HOW TO CUT OUT SUGAR WITHOUT LOSING TASTE

We all know we should be eating less sugar for optimal health. But for many of us with legit sugar additions (the struggle is real!), that’s easier said than done. Lowering your sugar intake doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste or feel deprived from your favorite foods. In this post, you’ll learn some savvy swaps and health hacks so you can start detoxing from sugar, recalibrating your taste buds and controlling your cravings.

Read More
Adaptogens: What's All The Buzz About?

Things like ashwagandha, reishi, maca and are making their way into lattes and smoothies at the trendy health-food cafes. You may have heard of a few of these before but not totally sure what the deal is. Well, they are adaptogens -- plant medicines that protect our bodies from the harmful effects of stress while supporting overall health. Sounds pretty good, right? There are lots of different adaptogens, each with its own set of special skills. I wrote a comprehensive guide to the most popular adaptogens over on Hello Glow. You may find a few that really speak to you in which case you should give them a try! There is almost no downside and lots of upside to being better equip to handle all the stresses life throws your way! 

Read More
Here's Why Your Healthy Friends Are Sipping Mushroom Coffee

Mushrooms are a delicious food to incorporate into your healthy diet. While button, cremini, portobello and oyster mushrooms are all great, there are a group of medicinal mushrooms that go above and beyond in terms of health benefits. These mushroom superfoods do amazing things for your brain, hormones, energy, mood and immune system so it's no wonder they're starting to pop up in coffee, tea, smoothies, elixirs, chocolate, etc. To learn more about these six special fungi, click the button below to be taken to my blog post at Hello Glow. 

Read More
The Power of Tea

Ready to make your 'cuppa' work for you? I've put together a list of my favorite medicinal teas that, in addition to tasting comforting and delicious, pack a punch on the nutritional front! Everything from burning fat with matcha to fighting inflammation with golden milk to detoxing your liver with dandelion, I've tried to cover the gamut when it comes to tea for every ailment. Cheers to the power of tea! 

Read More
3-Day Detox

Off the back of an indulgent holiday season, many of us feel the the urge to purge in January to get our asses back in gear after being pretty slack for a few weeks (or months)! My gentle 3-day cleanse is the perfect antidote to all that cheese, pie, and champagne from all those holiday parties. I say 'gentle' because there is nothing extreme or restrictive about this cleanse plan. You're eating real food the entire time so no need to worry about feeling deprived or starving. Since it's winter for us here in the Northern Hemisphere, I've designed all of the recipes to be warm and comforting. You'll be having winter-inspired smoothies or porridge for breakfast, Ayurvedic kitchari for lunch and cozy veggie-based soups for dinner. In addition to the yummy recipes, I also put together a list of stress-relieving practices so you can feel lighter, happier and more refreshed after you've finished! All the info for the 3-day cleanse is over at Hello Glow. Click the button below to be taken there. 

Read More
1-Day No Fuss Cleanse

This 1-day cleanse is the perfect "reset button" after a holiday, wedding weekend, or one of those weeks of not-so-healthy eating. I know how tough it can be to commit to a cleanse for any real length of time (7, 14, 28 days), so I came up with this 1-day cleanse plan for when you don't want to fuss around with lots of meal prep or put your summer social activities on hold because you're "on a cleanse." A great day to do this cleanse is Monday or Tuesday after, for example, a big weekend of eating, drinking, etc. You can pick up the essentials from the grocery store on Sunday or Monday and get started right after that. As you can see from the photo, I purchased my green juices and nut milk. You can, of course, make these yourself but the beauty of this cleanse is that you don't have to spend much time in the kitchen! 

Read More
DNA Doesn't Determine Your Fate

We are just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding what the exact influence of genetics is on our health. Research into epigenetics is starting to provide some interesting answers. Epigenetics, or “control above genetics,” studies how environmental factors influence gene expression, the process of genes transmitting instructions to molecules in the body. Epigenetics is part of a new understanding of gene workings which challenges the long-standing belief that DNA controls biology.

Read More
Macronutrient Makeover

Let's talk macronutrients... Macronutrients are nutrients that provide energy to the body and are needed in large amounts. There are three: carbohydrate, protein and fat.  

As these are the foundation of your diet, we want to make sure you're getting them right! In today's post, I'm going to help with you to changing out your protein, fat and carb sources to decrease inflammation, reduce your toxic load and support your microbiome.

Read More
Power of Protein

Protein is a hot topic. Carbs have been demonized, fats (until recently) had a bad rap... It's the only macronutrient that rarely, if ever, goes under fire. Brands drive sales of their food products by throwing the word "protein" on the label, exemplifying protein's health halo. It's often connected to everything from weight loss to muscle gains. And maybe this if for good reason! Protein is crucial for the structure, function and regulation of the body's tissues and organs. While protein is essential in the diet, there seems to be a "more is better" mentality which isn't quite right.

Read More
What You Should Know about Food Labeling

Is going to the grocery store a dreaded chore? Does it send you into a state of panic at the realization you actually don't know what to eat? Do all the food product labels make you dizzy with confusion?  I get it. It's a jungle out there! And I want to help you navigate it with grace and ease. By understanding front-of-package marketing labels, you'll be armed against getting duped into buying processed foods with undesirable ingredients just because a "health halo" trips you up. 

Read More
10 Tips for Eating Clean on a Budget

One of the most common excuses and/or complaints I commonly hear regarding making the switch to a whole foods diet is that it’s too expensive.  I won’t argue with you that grass fed meat and wild fish are pricier than Hot Pockets and Pizza Bites. By buying organic and making your meals from scratch using real food ingredients, you will no doubt notice a jump in the grand total on your grocery receipts. But once you get started and get the hang of it, you’ll see that there are ways to eat clean and save $green$. You can also think about it this way – eating high-quality, nutrient-dense whole foods is your health insurance policy. By spending a little more each week now, your healthy and disease resistant body will actually save you in medical bills and expensive treatments later on! Do your best to invest in your health today as your future depends on it!

Even on a tight budget, you can make small upgrades that will have a massive impact on your health for the better. Below are some thrifty tips for transitioning into a more plant-based, healthy and happy lifestyle: 

Read More
What is the Paleo Diet? + Sweet Potato Cookie Recipe

I'm sure y'all have heard of the Paleo diet by now. It seems to be the latest health trend / buzzword. You may be wondering, though, what actually does the Paleo, or caveman, diet entail... I get asked this question a lot so I thought I'd write what I know about it and also hook you up with a delicious and Paleo-friendly cookie recipe in case you want to jump on board the caveman train. 

In a nutshell, the Paleo diet is about eating in a manner similar to how our caveman ancestors did before the agricultural revolution. This means eating unprocessed meat, saturated fats (from animals, avocados, coconuts, etc.), non-starchy veggies, nuts/seeds, eggs, and a little low-sugar fruit. It also means eliminating any food that arrived since farming and processing began, about 10,000 years ago -- stuff like grains, legumes, dairy, vegetable oil, etc. 

Read More